In 2025 the case for board-level leadership on health and safety is overwhelming. Fresh HSE figures show the human and economic cost of poor risk management remains stark, while high-profile prosecutions continue to underline personal accountability for those in control. Add in the impending commencement of Martyn’s Law (the Terrorism (Protection of Premises) Act 2025) and the direction of travel is clear: effective oversight of safety and security is now a core board competency, not a “nice to have”.
The picture in numbers: the latest HSE data directors should know
HSE’s most recent key figures highlight the scale of the challenge facing British employers:
- 1.7 million people suffered from a work-related illness in 2023/24, including 776,000 cases of stress, depression or anxiety and 543,000 musculoskeletal disorders.
- 124 workers were killed in work-related accidents in 2024/25; 33.7 million working days were lost to work-related ill health and injury.
- The estimated annual cost of workplace injury and ill health (excluding long-latency diseases) is £21.6 billion (2022/23).
For directors, these aren’t just statistics; they’re governance signals—pointing to culture, competence, and control.
Personal accountability is real—and recent cases prove it
Recent enforcement activity continues to demonstrate that directors can face personal consequences where company failings are attributable to their consent, connivance, or neglect (Health and Safety at Work etc. Act 1974, s.37). In 2025, for example, an HSE prosecution following a fatal fall from height resulted in a suspended custodial sentence for a company director alongside corporate fines—one of several cases underscoring that failures in planning, supervision and control will be treated seriously.
The enforcement landscape also extends to corporate manslaughter where gross breaches lead to death. In January 2025, UK Athletics was charged with corporate manslaughter in relation to the 2017 death of Paralympian Abdullah Hayayei, with a senior official charged with gross negligence manslaughter. Whatever the eventual outcome, the case is another reminder that prosecutors will pursue organisations and, where appropriate, individuals at the highest levels.
Martyn’s Law: getting ready during the 24-month implementation window
The Terrorism (Protection of Premises) Act 2025—Martyn’s Law—received Royal Assent on 3 April 2025. (GOV.UK) While the Government has signalled an implementation period of at least 24 months before the duty comes into force, boards of in-scope venues and events should be preparing now. The Security Industry Authority (SIA) has been confirmed as the regulator and further Home Office guidance will follow; directors should ensure roles, resources and reporting lines are clear so that security risk management becomes part of BAU governance rather than a one-off compliance sprint. (ProtectUK)
What great board oversight looks like in practice
Strong director-level stewardship typically includes:
- Clear ownership: a named board lead for health, safety and (where relevant) protective security, reporting at every meeting.
- Risk-based priorities: focus on your material risks—e.g., working at height, vehicle movements, machinery, hazardous substances, violence and aggression—using up-to-date data and leading indicators.
- Competence and culture: ensure competent people, adequate supervision and psychologically safe reporting; invest in line-manager training.
- Contractor control: CDM-compliant planning, robust selection, and active monitoring—especially where supply chains are complex.
- Assurance, not assumption: targeted audits, learning reviews after incidents and near misses, and evidence-based performance dashboards.
- Preparedness: for Martyn’s Law-in-scope operations, build proportionate plans across risk assessment, training, incident response and recovery. (press.hse.gov.uk) (ProtectUK)
Introducing our course: Health & Safety Briefing for Directors
A concise, high-impact session designed specifically for boards and senior leaders who need clarity, confidence and practical next steps.
You’ll leave able to:
- Understand the legal duties of directors and senior managers—including the implications of HSWA s.37 and how enforcement bodies evidence “consent, connivance or neglect”.
- Read and question the right metrics (beyond lagging indicators), aligning health & safety with organisational risk appetite and ESG reporting.
- Prioritise controls for your top fatal and serious risks (e.g., working at height), and recognise red flags in board papers and site tours.
- Strengthen contractor and supply-chain management, including CDM roles and monitoring.
- Prepare for Martyn’s Law where applicable: scoping, tiering, responsibilities, and the board’s role in readiness. (press.hse.gov.uk) (ProtectUK) (GOV.UK)
Who should attend
Chairs, non-executive directors, executive directors, and senior leaders with strategic oversight of risk and operations.
Format and options
A 90–120 minute briefing (virtual or in-person), with optional deep-dives (e.g., Working at Height leadership, Contractor Control, Psychological Health) and a follow-up board clinic to review your governance artefacts.
What you’ll receive
- A director-level checklist for oversight meetings and site visits.
- A simple board dashboard template for leading and lagging indicators.
- A Martyn’s Law readiness pointer list for in-scope venues/events. (ProtectUK)
Why act now?
- The data points to persistent, costly harms that boards can influence through better governance.
- Prosecutions increasingly test personal accountability for those in control.
- Martyn’s Law will raise expectations on security preparedness—smart boards will use the implementation window to embed proportionate, sustainable controls. (HSE) (press.hse.gov.uk) (AP News)
Book your board briefing
Bring the whole board (and key executives) together for a focused, outcome-driven session. We’ll align the briefing to your risk profile and sector, and leave you with a concrete action plan for the next board cycle.
A bite-sized session, ‘Health & safety briefing for directors‘ gives directors an overview of what is expected from them with regards to health and safety compliance and guidance on how to achieve it. Look at the full course outline to learn more about this session.
